


Suspicions of Paradise

by DayenuRose



Series: Romy Week 2020 [1]
Category: X-Men (Comicverse), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Excalibur, F/M, House of X, Mr. and Mrs. X, Rogue/Remy week 2020, mmx, what happened between mmx and excalibur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:07:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22555333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DayenuRose/pseuds/DayenuRose
Summary: Rogue and Remy have returned from dealing with the Thieves' Guild in New Orleans, and now must figure out what the Professor is scheming with his supposed mutant paradise on Krakoa. Experience has taught them not to trust anything labeled as paradise. Will this time be any difference?Part of Rogue/Gambit Week 2020Day 2 - What Happened Between MMX and Excalibur?
Relationships: Remy LeBeau/Rogue
Series: Romy Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1622878
Comments: 6
Kudos: 31





	Suspicions of Paradise

With the long suffering sigh of the truly exasperated, Remy tossed his phone on the couch. He wasn’t getting much information from his contacts and what little he was able to gleam set every one of his highly attuned instincts on edge. His danger sense had been ringing nonstop since returning home from New Orleans. And it had only been growing more intense. He didn’t care what the Professor or Magneto or Emma Frost had to say about this, nothing about Krakoa sounded like a Mutant Paradise to him. 

Sagging bonelessly onto the couch, Remy reached for the remote and turned up the volume on the television. An endless stream of news coverage paraded across the screen. Every station was asking the same question. What might this latest _‘Mutant Menace?’_ might mean for the rest of earth’s population. Just as he had expected, the talking heads on the screen had more opinions than answers. 

More frustrated than relieved by what he was hearing, Remy was about to turn the television off, when a breaking news story preempted the latest so-called expert filling his air time with meaningless platitudes. The all too familiar visage of his mother-in-law flashed across the screen. Speechless, he couldn’t even call for Rogue to witness this catastrophe with him. The camera had captured Mystique and her crew as they leapt from the Damage Control storage facility. Security had been hot on their tails until the leap, fortunately the Fantastic Four had been there to pick up the slack. Still, he couldn’t believe the royal mess she had made of what appeared to be a simple heist. 

If the X-Men needed a thief, why hadn’t they ask him? Sure, he was wary of what they were up, but there was a certain amount of professional pride on the line here. At least he could have accomplished the job without creating a ruckus. And, if he knew what they were stealing, then he might have a better idea of what exactly they were trying to hide. Then again, that was probably why they hadn’t asked. 

Remy shook his head. “Dat was sloppy Raven. Just sloppy.” 

“What’s Momma done this time?” Rogue covered the receiver on her phone as she entered the room.

His wife had joined him just in time to see her mother disappear into one of the Krakoan portals. The camera’s view shifted from the escaping Mutants just long enough to capture the start of a confrontation between Cyclops and the Fantastic Four, before returning to the concerned face of the on-the-scene-reporter. Remy had a sinking feeling in his gut that the disagreement between Cyke and Mr. Fantastic had something to do with Franklin. Remy had a soft spot for Franklin ever since he’d gone with the boy to the McCoy’s farm. Since then, Remy had kept an eye on Franklin, making certain the boy would be okay. He hated the thought that Franklin would get wound up in this whole kerfuffle too. While Remy knew that blood didn’t necessarily make a family, in Franklin’s case, he had a good one. 

Rogue sank down on the couch beside her husband and snuggled up next to him. She gestured for Remy to mute the volume so she could return to her conversation with her brother. “Kurt, do ya knew what Momma’s up to?.... _Excuse me?_ Ya approved?....Since when?”

Raising a quizzical eyebrow, Remy silently inquired about what was going on. He would have thought they were talking about the events on the news since she had mentioned her mother, but Kurt’s apparent approval made him re-think those assumptions. 

_Just a minute_ , Rogue mouthed. She pointed at the television, answering at least that question. 

“Ah’m gonna need to get back to ya,” Rogue said into the phone. “And then, ya gonna tell me everything. Got it.”

Remy couldn’t catch Kurt’s reply before Rogue hung up and tossed her phone to the side in disgust. She ran her fingers just above her elbow where her gloves usually hit. “Ah know we’ve been busy, but somethin’ ‘bout all this stinks to high heaven. What’d ya find out swamp rat?”

“Not’ing good.” He raked his fingers through his hair, pulling the middling length strands back into an impromptu tail and dug his fingers into the surgical scars hidden under his hair. Situations like this always made the old wounds ache. “My non-mutant contacts don’ know any more than what we’re seein’ on de tv. As for de mutants, de few I can get a hold of have de same invite to de island as we do an’ dat’s about all. De hearsay ‘m getting is disturbing t’ de point I don’ even want t’ t’ink ‘bout it, despite de fact I am almost certain it’s true. As for gettin’ a hold of de rest, apparently cell service on Krakoa isn’ a t’ing.”

“They say it’s paradise, sugah.” She ran her hands along his upper back and began massaging the knots from his shoulders. 

He scoffed. “Last time we were sent to paradise, we ended up fightin’ multiple constructs o’ ourselves.” 

Rogue winced, a flicker of unease crossing her face. He grimaced, wishing he hadn’t brought that up. In the end, she’d absorbed more than just her own memories and hadn’t been able to return them all. The extras still lingered like a stain on a mostly pleasant memory. As much as he wished to ease her burdens, there were some things with which he was simply unable to help. All he could do was be there for her. 

When she had quelled the swell of disparate psyches, she smiled coyly and cupped her hand around his cheek. “Well, swamp rat, Ah seem to recall it wasn’ all bad. We had some pretty fantastic moments during our time on Paraíso.” She pulled him into a slow, sweet kiss. When the kiss ended, she dropped her hands and ran a thumb along her wedding band. “If it hadn’ been for that mission...”

“I know, I know, mon coeur.” He interlaced his fingers between hers. Side by side, their matching rings glinted in the light like stars of hope.

Remy sighed heavily. He couldn’t leave this be. No matter how hard he tried to spin the information, he was unable to shake the unease. “Jus’ when did de dream mean isolating ourselves from de rest of de world?” 

“Ah dunno. Maybe it’s for the best. Ah mean, it’s not like we’re making a lot of progress.” She said with a little too much emphasis, like she was trying to convince herself of the rightness of the scheme. The wary shadows lurking in her green eyes gave away that she doubted the ‘good’ intentions as much as he did. 

“My family dey ain’t exactly mutants,” his voice trailed off. His relationship with Jean-Luc and the Guilds was tumultuous at best, but there was no way he could cut himself off from them. They were imprinted on him as deeply as the X-men were. 

Rogue slid off the couch and began pacing the room with a nervous energy. “No one’s forcin’ us to make a permanent move, but Ah suppose we really ought to see what’s going on.” 

Lucifer leapt up on the couch and settled on Remy’s lap. Idly, he petted the cat as he sorted his thoughts. “I talked t’ Jubilee. She’s hesitant about bringing Shogo to de island.”

“Can’t say that Ah blame her.” Rogue paused in her pacing. She retrieved her phone and scrolled through the myriad of text messages that had accumulated since she’d tossed it aside. Half distracted by what she read, she scowled at the device. “Did she know anythin’ else ‘bout what’s happenin’?” 

“She said she heard Sinister is dere. And Apocalypse.” He couldn’t help but trace the scars again. “I could go de rest of my life wit’out ever being in de same room wit’ either of dem.”

With a sudden shudder, Rogue turned and headed for their bedroom. 

“Chère?” Lucifer gave an impertinent mroaw and scampered away as Remy stood and followed his wife’s abrupt exit. He found her pulling their suitcases from the closet. “What’s goin’ on?”

She handed him her phone. 

Remy scanned the messages, his jaw dropping as the information refused to sink in. “ _Apocalypse? Sinister?_ Dey’re on de leadership council? Has Xavier gone mad?”

“So’s mah brother,” she said as though that might ease the sting. “An’ Storm.” 

“Don’ forget your Mother an’ Magneto.... Doesn’ exactly sound like a sanctuary t’ me.” Remy massaged his temples in a futile attempt to ease the sense of his inevitable, impending demise at any of the aforementioned villains. None of them would shed a tear at his death and he was pretty certain a few would celebrate. “Dey ain’ my biggest fans.” 

“Ah know.” Rogue began to filling the suitcases with what appeared to be a mixture of beachwear and thief gear. 

Coming up behind her, Remy wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her hair, effectively stopping her where she stood. Unperturbed, she leaned back against him. 

“If you agree, why are you packing? Where are we going? I was hopin’ we’d stay here.” Over the course of their marriage they had spent barely any of it at their home. If it wasn’t X-men business, it was villains pulling them into insane schemes. Was it asking too much for just a few undisturbed days with his wife?

“We are X-Men,” Rogue pointed out. “Officially, we should be headed to the island to show some solidarity with the Professor’s plan.” 

Remy scoffed. “Sure he’s de one pullin’ de strings dis time?” 

“Ah dunno, swamp rat.” She broke from his hold and returned to her packing. “But, how else are we gonna find out what they’re up to?”

“Dat’s not de only way. I’d prefer somet’ing less direct.” Remy sifted through the mismatch of items Rogue had packed. He lifted one of the climbing harnesses she’d stowed in the bottom of the pack under an assortment of shorts and swimsuits. 

“Ya read mah mind, swamp rat.” A mischievous smile tugged at her lips. 

“Rogue, jus’ what on earth are you scheming?” 

“Ah said, _officially_ we’d be headed to the island to support the professor. Ah didn’ say we’d be goin’ right away and Ah never said anythin’ about actually agreein’ with this whole cockamamie scheme.” She tossed a deck of cards at him. 

He caught the pack without ever glancing away from her face. Withdrawing the Queen of Hearts, he threaded the card around his fingers. “And how exactly are we gonna manage dat?”

“Well, Ah figure if everyone is busy settling on their mutant paradise, they might not notice if we’re a little late arriving.” She turned to the closet and selected an evening gown along with one of his tailored suits. 

“Oh?” He raised an eyebrow. “An’ what might we be doin’ instead?”

“Ah figure we find ourselves our own paradise. One where we don’ have to worry ‘bout doctors trying to steal our powers or where we need to be constantly watchin’ over our shoulders for villains.” 

“I know just de place.” Between returning from their honeymoon and their rather ill-fated party, Remy had purchased a secluded beach house that was practically cut off from civilization. It was meant to be a surprise for Rogue, but the opportunity hadn’t presented itself until now. He had wanted to give her a place where they could lounge in the sun and get away from it all. A place where Rogue could relax and not worry about her powers. 

“Thought that would be the case.” She pulled him in for a kiss.

Remy was tempted turn the kiss into a tumble in the bed, but there were a few matters to iron out first. “You know, chère, when we eventually arrive on Krakoa, dere will be eyes and ears everywhere. Someone will always be watchin’—listenin’. We can’t let on dat we’re suspicious. De likes o’ Apocalypse and Sinister, not t’ mention whoever else might be dere, dey don’ play around. If dey t’ink we’re onto dem, dey won’ hesitate t’ stop us by whatever means dey have at dere disposal.” 

“Ah can’t imagine it ending well if we’re found out.” Rogue bit her lower lips. “Suppose we’ll just have to be convincin’ as we play along.”

“Dat might be a bit o’ a problem wit’ my history. No one in deir right mind is gonna believe dat ‘m simply going along wit’ deir plans.” His stomach turned and he grew queasy. He couldn’t stand the thought of being Sinister’s or Apocalypse’s stooge again. 

Rogue ran the back of her hand along his cheek. Her touch was cool against his fevered skin. “Then ya can be all broody and suspicious and Ah can act like Ah’m bein’ convinced. They’ll believe you’re goin’ along with it for mah sake.” 

“You are devious, mon couer.” He dipped her back and thoroughly kissed her until they were both short of breath. “Are you sure you want t’ do dis? It’s risky.”

She nodded. “Someone’s gotta make heads or tails of all this. An’ Ah think, you an’ Ah might be the only ones with the right combination of suspicion an’ resources to do exactly that.”

“Oh? How are we gonna do dat?” Remy was beginning to put together his own plans, but he enjoyed watching his wife scheme. 

“After we take that long over due vacation, we put your considerable contacts to the test and find out as much as possible ‘bout Xavier’s intentions before we arrive. Figured this might come in handy if we need to figure out what Momma stole or what kind of deal the Hellfire Company has worked out with the Professor.” She gave a sinuous shake of her hips and held up with a flourish a black catsuit which would hug all her curves when she put it on. “Who knows it could be fun?” 

His throat went dry. She was right, thieving with his wife sounded like something he could get used to. He couldn’t wait to see her in that. And to help her out of it afterward. He had a feeling that’s exactly what she intended. “I love you, mon coeur.” 

“Love ya too. Now, get. Ah’ll finish packin’ while ya arrange the logistics.” 

“D’accord.” Remy grinned as sauntered off to make the plans as requested. Things weren’t looking as bleak as they were even a half hour ago. One thing could be said for certain, life with his Rogue would never be dull. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.


End file.
